Nursing
is a calling. It’s not something anyone can do. It takes a special person who
is willing to be hands on and help those who are not able to help themselves.
“At
the time when I was choosing a career, there weren’t many options available for
women. I knew that I wanted to be hands-on … on the go and not sitting in an
office,” said Karen Arnett, who is a trainer for the STNA program at Green
Hills Community.
Fresh
out of high school, Karen was hired at Green Hills Community as a nurses’ aide,
before licensing was required.
“Green
Hills hired me and trained me for the position. After a year, I decided that I
liked it and wanted to do more,” she said and was enrolled in the first LPN
class that was offered at the Ohio Hi-Point Career Center.
A
career in nursing allowed her the flexibility to take time off, about 20 years,
to raise a family. After the children graduated from college, she decided to go
back to school to become a Registered Nurse.
She
has spent a total of about 10 years in nursing, some years at Mary Rutan
Hospital and the remainder back at Green Hills.
“Being
an STNA is hard work. You have to be able to pay attention to those you are caring
for and be able to handle the care of several people,” she explained adding,
“You have to be willing to do what needs to be done for someone who can’t do it
themselves,” she explained.
Do
you think that you have what it takes to be a nurse? Are you flexible with your
time? An STNA can’t cure someone but they can make a difference for those who
can’t care for themselves.
"Of all my years in nursing, my true passion was being an aide. As Director of Staff Development, I get to pass that passion along to others," she explained.
The
next STNA course is from Jan. 9 to 20. Classes are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday
through Friday at Green Hills Community. At the conclusion of the course,
students are eligible to sit for the state test for nursing assistants.
STNAs
are permitted to work in long-term care, skilled nursing and rehabilitation
care settings.
Is nursing for you? To find out more, ask about the course or to register call Karen at 465.5065. If she is busy with a resident, call Stacie Cingle, Director of Human Resources at 465.5065.
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| Karen Arnett, left, with Evie Hostetler, right, reviews a list of medications with those stored in the med cart. |
